For anime, the 2010s were the glow-up decade. Many studios started taking bigger risks, which resulted in many unique anime with amazing budgets and quality. That was the era that gave rise to many genre-defining hits, emotionally devastating stories, and anime that are still discussed to this day.
In fact, most of these anime ended up becoming templates for more anime to come in the following decade, which is full of copy-pasted anime. Ranking only 10 feels almost unfair, but these picks were chosen based on cultural impact, rewatch value, and how well they’ve aged. Let’s dive in.
10. Your Lie in April – Still Memorable, All These Years Later
Your Lie in April follows Kousei Arima, who is a piano prodigy. However, he has lost his ability to listen to what he plays, quite literally, because of deep trauma. His negative outlook on life and timid personality slowly start changing for the better when a free-spirited violinist practically drags him back to the piano.
This anime is a slow-burn romance with an emotional gut punch. The reason it managed to make this list is that it’s hard to forget this anime if you’ve watched it once. For the year it was released in, the art and animation were considered ahead of their time as well.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll
9. Kids on the Slope – a Jazz-Soaked Gem From Shinichiro Watanabe
This anime is directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the visionary director behind Cowboy Bebop, which is arguably one of the perfect anime of the 90s.
Kids on the Slope is a historical piece that follows the life of a piano prodigy (that’s two in a row), Kaoru.
In fact, Kaoru and Kousei share a lot of personality traits. Yet, the reason this anime ranks higher is that Kaoru is much more realistically written, and the anime focuses more heavily on the music itself. This one lands at ninth position because it’s criminally underrated. The animation during the jazz performances is genuinely stunning, and the coming-of-age story feels timeless instead of dated.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
8. Anohana – No Anime Has Portrayed the Aftermath of Tragedy Better
Anohana centers on a group of childhood friends who drifted apart after one of them, Menma, died in an accident. Years later, Menma’s ghost appears to Jinta and asks him to grant her wish, forcing the old friend group back together to confront the grief they never processed.
This show earns the 8th spot for how raw and real it portrays loss. It doesn’t sugarcoat guilt, regret, or the awkwardness of reconnecting with people you’ve grown apart from. It clearly shows how people change with age as well. Few anime nail grief this well without turning melodramatic. If you haven’t seen this anime, make sure to secure tissues before you start it, as there may not be any anime with the emotional impact this anime has.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime Video
7. Hyouka – Still the Best Slice-Of-Life Anime Ever Made
Hyouka follows Oreki Houtarou, who is a very introverted high school student with the motto of “If I don’t have to do anything, I won’t do it. If I have to do something, I will make it quick.” However, one day, his sister asks him to join the Classic Literature Club to save it. Hoping that it would give him more alone time with books, he joins the club, only to find out that a very enthusiastic and curious girl, Chitanda, is also part of the club.
Oreki has the gift of deduction, and Chitanda wants to know everything, which leads to a very interesting dynamic between them as Oreki tackles very minor mysteries in his school life. This anime is one of the best created by Kyoto Animation, and the overall vibe of the anime is perfect if you like calm and aesthetic shows.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime Video
6. My Hero Academia Remains One of the Best Shonen Anime
My Hero Academia takes place in a really interesting world where almost everyone has superpowers called Quirks, except for a few exceptions. Izuku Midoriya happens to be among that minority. However, when the world’s greatest hero, All Might, passes his power onto Izuku for his heroic heart, he finally gets to go on his journey to become more like his ideal, All Might himself.
This show earns a spot at 6 for basically reviving mainstream shonen for a new generation. In fact, more than a revival, we can go as far as to say that it arguably rivals the top three of shonen themselves. It introduced a massive wave of fans to anime as a whole, and its early seasons especially delivered some of the most hype-worthy fight scenes of the decade.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
5. Mob Psycho 100 – a Unique Take on the Power-And-Responsibility Trope
Mob Psycho 100 follows Shigeo Kageyama, also called Mob by people close to him. He is a middle schooler with insane psychic powers. However, he just wants to live a normal life instead of using his abilities, and that is because he knows how dangerous he himself is. Working as an exorcist’s assistant, Mob keeps his emotions bottled up, even though the story constantly reminds us what happens when that dam breaks.
This anime lands in the middle of this ranking because of its unmatched animation style courtesy of Studio Bones and ONE’s writing. Instead of glorifying power, it questions what actually makes someone strong, and that message hits differently than most power-fantasy shonen out there, making it rank higher than MHA as well.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
4. Fate/Zero – Set the Standard for What “Lore-Heavy” Really Means
Fate/Zero established the primary lore of the Grail War of the Fate Franchise, following seven mages and their summoned Servants as they battle in a war for the all-powerful Holy Grail. Packed with political scheming, morally gray characters, and brutal fight scenes, it takes the Fate universe and makes it feel massive, yet more cohesive, which is what makes it one of the best in the franchise as well.
This one ranks 4 because of how ambitious the storytelling is. It juggles multiple factions and ideologies without losing the audience, something a lot of lore-heavy anime fail to do. It’s often credited with turning the entire Fate franchise mainstream.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
3. Attack on Titan’s 2010s Run Remains Unmatched
Attack on Titan is a name that rarely needs any introduction. The story follows Eren Yeager and his friends in a world where humanity lives behind massive walls to protect themselves from giant, flesh-eating Titans. This unique concept is why this anime’s world-building is considered one of the best.
After the Titans breach his hometown’s wall, Eren vows revenge and joins the military, only to discover that the truth about the Titans is way darker than anyone imagined.
This anime takes the 3rd spot because its 2010s seasons completely changed what mainstream anime could look like. It wasn’t one of those one-hit-wonder anime that loses its significance down the line. Since the day it was released, Attack on Titan has remained one of the most talked-about in the industry.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
2. Puella Magi Madoka Magica Redefined the Magical Girl Genre
Puella Magi Madoka Magica looks like a cute magical girl show on the surface, following Madoka Kaname as she’s offered the chance to become a magical girl in exchange for one wish. However, this anime quickly reveals the brutal, twisted reality behind these contracts, subverting almost every magical girl trope along the way. It also offers a villain that you can’t help but feel angry at, without any room for sympathy.
It ranks at 2 because of how effectively it flips genre expectations. What starts as a colorful, cheerful premise turns into one of the darkest, most psychologically intense anime of the decade, and that contrast is exactly why it’s still discussed today. What makes this contrast even more amazing is the fact that the anime doesn’t just flip everything around and forget about the original tone; it keeps it.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll
1. Nothing Else Captures the 2010s Anime Vibe Quite Like Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate follows Rintarou Okabe, a self-proclaimed mad scientist called Hououin Kyouma who accidentally discovers a way to send messages to the past. What starts as a fun experiment spirals into a high-stakes fight to stop World War 3, forcing Okabe to make impossible choices and experience many timelines that only he knows about.
As far as time travel goes, this is arguably the best anime of the genre. The slow-burn first half builds into one of the most gripping, emotionally devastating back halves in anime history. Its time-travel logic still holds up, and Okabe’s arc remains one of the best character journeys ever put to screen. If one anime defines the 2010s, it’s this one.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll (also purchasable on Apple TV/Amazon Video)
| RANK | TITLE | RELEASE DATE | MAL RATING (as of July 13, 2026) |
| 10 | Your Lie in April | Oct 10, 2014 | 8.64 / 10 |
| 9 | Kids on the Slope | Apr 13, 2012 | 8.29 / 10 |
| 8 | Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day | Apr 15, 2011 | 8.28 / 10 |
| 7 | Hyouka | Apr 23, 2012 | 8.05 / 10 |
| 6 | My Hero Academia | Apr 3, 2016 | 7.82 / 10 |
| 5 | Mob Psycho 100 | Jul 11, 2016 | 8.49 / 10 |
| 4 | Fate/Zero | Oct 2, 2011 | 8.26 / 10 |
| 3 | Attack on Titan | Apr 7, 2013 | 8.57 / 10 |
| 2 | Puella Magi Madoka Magica | Jan 7, 2011 | 8.39 / 10 |
| 1 | Steins;Gate | Apr 6, 2011 | 9.07 / 10 |
So, which 2010s anime is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
